


one plus one plus one equals perfection

by sebastian2017



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Spooning, Steve Rogers is a slut for cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24075874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sebastian2017/pseuds/sebastian2017
Summary: Steve's a little bit obsessed with getting cuddles at all time. Luckily, he has two partners around to meet the demand.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Kudos: 30
Collections: Marvel Polyship Bingo 2020





	one plus one plus one equals perfection

**Author's Note:**

> a fill for Marvel Polyship Bingo square 'spooning'

Steve Rogers is the world's neediest little bitch. Bucky has said it before and he'll say it again. He'll say it until the rest of the world has realized it, because the evidence is right there in front of them, yet everyone still laughs when Bucky says it, as though he's joking. He's not! He's deadly serious and he's going to make sure it gets put on Steve's gravestone one day.  _ Here lies Steve Rogers, who probably died from being so needy. _

Bucky is endeared by it, of course, but boy it can be a lot sometimes. He and Peggy have started comparing schedules with each other sometimes, so someone will always be around when Steve has free time and is sure to be wandering the apartment in search of them. If not, they'll both get endless texts from him about how sad he is and how much he misses them. It's cute, except for when one of them is in class or in a meeting or studying or any of dozens of things they might do that they don't necessarily want interrupted by Steve's pouty selfies. (Because as important as all those things are, both Bucky and Peggy would drop them in a heartbeat to go after Steve, no matter how it might hurt their grades or reputations.) 

So without bringing Steve into it, because Steve would be a self sacrificial oaf who refused future 24/7 cuddles no matter how much he liked them, Bucky and Peggy had started clandestine meetings to arrange an acceptable replacement. They would simply make sure one of them was always there when Steve was home. No big deal. They'd move around a few meetings, make sure they had no overlapping schedules, and study from home instead of the library. No biggie. 

Except it was. It was totally a biggie. It was like a weekly nightmare whenever Bucky and Peggy meet over breakfast on Monday mornings, always while Steve was out on his morning runs. 

"All right, what's your week look like?" Peggy asks, pulling out her daily planner with a deep sigh. 

See, for all they want to just have a set schedule that repeats every week, so they only have to do this once, the truth is, they're all twenty-somethings in grad school and mostly at the bottom for the totem pole everywhere they go. They're not exactly front of the line for all the best shifts or even for the commodity of always having their shifts or meetings at the same time. Nope. So instead, they have to meet every week and frantically make arrangements to fit in Steve Time to both their schedules. 

"I can't cover any lunches this week. And I've got to work Thursday night, so..." Bucky winces apologetically. 

"Oh, but Thursday nights are Steve's soap opera and you know he's especially cuddly then!" Peggy insists. 

"I know, I know. Can't you stay in on Thursdays this week?" he pleads. "I really can't move around this shift." 

"Oh, but Thursdays are the only night Angie and I can meet up for drinks..." She frowns and looks over her calendar again. "I suppose I could see about moving it to a Sunday brunch..." 

Bucky's so happy he could cry. But instead, he just pulls Peggy closer and gives her a big kiss on the forehead. "Bless you. Thank God there's two of us. I don't know how any one person would ever meet demand." 

**** 

Thank God there's two of us. It's a very common gratitude in this household. At first, it had just been a bit of a joke between Bucky and herself, but the longer she lived here, the more Peggy realized it really would be impossible if they were just a couple instead of a triad. She doesn't really find it a burden or annoying at all, it's just a known fact that Steve is very needy, particularly when it comes to physical touch. Bucky had once shared with her, in a private whisper, that he suspects it has to do with Steve having spent so much in hospitals as a child, unable to have anyone other than nurses and his mother over because of the risk of infection. She wouldn't have him any other way, really. She's just glad that between the two of them. 

Even if it does take a lot of careful planning. All which has to take place between Steve's back. Because she loves him, but he's one of the most stubborn men she's ever met. Especially when it comes to receiving affection from others. If he thought he was intruding on their lives with the things he liked, he would start bottling it all up, pretending he's perfectly fine receiving nothing at all so they won't trouble themselves over him. As though that doesn't just end up worrying them more that way. Steve Rogers is a very particular man to love, but Peggy wouldn't have it any other way. 

Which is why she's only mildly annoyed for a moment about rescheduling with Angie so she can stay here with Steve while he watches his silly little soap opera. He seems surprised to see her sitting at their dining table with her papers when he comes in from work. He pauses just long enough to take his boots and coat off before going over to give her a sweet kiss. 

"I thought you had dinner with Angie today," he remarks. And oh, Peggy wishes she had his artistic skills, so she could immortalize that adorable scrunching of his forehead when he's confused. "Coulda sworn I saw it written up on the calendar." 

"We postponed. Something came up, you know how it is. I'm meeting her this weekend instead. And for now, I thought there was no better option than a night in with my best guy," she explains. 

"Don't let Bucky hear ya saying that." Steve laughs. "That's great. Well, I didn't get any groceries to cook tonight, since I was just gonna order something and watch Last Days, but we can order for two. You can watch with me! Unless, y'know, you're busy with work or something. Which you probably are." 

Peggy cuts him off before he can start rambling and convince himself he's intruding. "My workday is over, darling. I was just getting ahead with some reports so I can leave early tomorrow and make it to Bucky's showcase. I'd love to watch your silly little soap opera with you." 

"It's not silly," Steve grumbles, but even his playful pouting can't hide how excited he is to have Peggy over for company on his weekly takeout and Last Days tradition. 

Thursdays were her usual meeting time with her friends, after all, while Bucky was the one to take this 'shift' and stay for Steve's soap opera. Not that Steve knows that was in their private calendar. As far as he knows, it was a lucky, coincidental overlap of their work schedules. 

Peggy clears her papers and work away from the table and grabs one of the takeout menus from her favorite little Indian place nearby. She's more than happy to stay in for nothing more than cuddles, but if they'll be staying in, she figures she might as well have their dinner be from one of her favorite places that the boys usually scorned in favor of more familiar home cooking or delivery from the Jewish deli at the corner. Steve smirks knowingly when she bats her eyes sweetly at him and hands him the menu. 

"All right, all right, we'll order your favorite. Your lucky Buck's not here to veto it. You know it's too spicy for him. Not that he'd ever admit it." Steve laughs and pulls out his phone to call in their order. Never mind that it's on GrubHub, UberEats, and DoorDash. Her Steve's always breen a little old fashioned like that. 

Peggy gets the channel ready - again, Steve's always been old fashioned, which is why they still have cable - while he orders. She's not exactly a fan of these melodramatic, overly emotional soaps Steve likes to watch sometimes, but it's worth sitting through just to watch Steve's reactions. He always gets so adorably caught up in it all. She's always been weak for a big, strong guy like that showing his emotions so freely and Steve is the absolute picture of a big, strong guy. If she saw him on the street as a stranger, she'd probably steer clear because he looks so much like an aggressive jock. 

But instead, he's the sort of guy who'll cuddle up with her on the couch scarfing down samosas and not so subtly wiping away tears when the main character's twin brother dies in a mysterious helicopter crash. (Even though they all know the twin brother will be revealed to have survived by next season at the latest.) Peggy cues and wraps an arm around his shoulders to give him a cuddle. She's still a bit sad about missing out on her planned dinner with Angie, but who could ever really be upset about such a thing when she has such a sweet boy to cuddle with here at home? It's definitely worth all the frantic scheduling with Bucky. 

**** 

Bucky takes the Sunday shift so Peggy can go meet up with her friends. He doesn't  _ love  _ calling it a shift, since it makes it sound like some obligation, but it's the easiest way for the two of them to work out their schedules and make sure someone's always around. Bucky's been doing it, though not always aware that he was, since the two of them were kids. And if he's lucky, he'll be doing it for the rest of his life, because there's few things Bucky likes more than getting to take care of Steve in any way he can. 

It doesn't hurt that taking Sunday from Peggy means he gets a good excuse to ignore Sunday lift and stay in bed with Stevie a little while longer. They both enjoy lazy days in bed when the opportunity arises. Bucky wakes up first, some time after Peggy left for her brunch, but he just enjoys laying in bed and watching Steve sleep. He justifies it to himself as being not creepy because they've been in love for ages. Or something like that. 

When Steve starts stirring, he blinks sleepily up at Bucky and smiles. "Oh. G'morning. I thought you'd be at the gym by now." 

"Nah." Bucky smiles and leans down to give him a kiss, morning breath be damned. "I'm staying in today. Peggy's already gone off for brunch with Angie." 

"Oh okay. Peggy went off and you stayed. Funny how that works out. It's like one of you is always around here," Steve notes. 

Bucky would think he's being called out on something, if it weren't for how sleepy Steve still is. He probably doesn't have much of a mind for anything other than coffee right now. Definitely not trying to uncover some massive conspiracy theories between his partners. Unfortunately, Bucky panics anyway and laughs nervously. "Yeah. That's a really funny coincidence." 

That, of course, makes it worse. Steve frowns at him suspiciously and pushes himself up onto his elbow. "Buck... That's what it is, right? Coincidences?" 

"Uh..." 

"Bucky. Do you and Peggy plan things on purpose so one of you is always around with me?" 

And damn, Bucky's always been weak when faced with Steve's blue puppy dog eyes. He can't lie to him. Even if he tried, it would be so pathetic, Steve would see right through him. He'd warned Peggy that he was a weak link in this plan of theirs. If someone was going to give it up, it was always going to be him. Bucky sighs and tries to look extra innocent and adorable, to help their cause. 

"Well... It's a little complicated. And definitely not what you're thinking. I mean, I dunno what you're thinking so I guess I can't say, but, uh..." Bucky trails off and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Peggy and I may or may not have a little bit of a schedule worked out to make sure someone's always around to give you the cuddles you deserve. Because god damnit, Stevie, you deserve all the cuddles in the world." 

"Oh my god. You two have a schedule for me. Like if I'm some dog that needs house training!" Steve exclaims. 

"It's not like that at all, babe. You're just... you know... a little touchy feely. Which isn't a bad thing at all! Peggy and I love it. We just wanna make sure someone's always around when you might need us, because we don't wanna leave you wanting and we know you're too proud to ask for things like that," Bucky explains. 

Steve flops back on the bed, shaking his head and mumbling to himself the whole time. "An untrained puppy. That's what I am in this relationship. My God." 

Bucky groans and reaches for his phone to send off a quick text to Peggy. She'll know how to talk some sense into Steve. She always does. 

_ {sms} Mayday Mayday schedule secret is OUT of the bag pls help me fix this when you can love youuuu  _

****

Peggy puts away her phone deep in her purse whenever she goes out with a friend. She knows it runs the risk of missing an emergency or a message from her boys, but her work has the annoying habit of contacting her with every little thing as though it's an emergency. She's flattered that she's managed to climb the ranks so quickly, but it does make it difficult to enjoy time with people without getting pulled away constantly. So she puts it away and hopes the world doesn't end in the hour or so it takes her to be with her friends. So far, she has a pretty good track record. 

Still, it's not exactly a perfect method. As evidenced by finding Bucky's mayday text a good two hours after he sent it. Sunday brunches are infamous for running long, so she's sure he didn't expect too speedy a reply, but she still feels somewhat guilty. She can only imagine how Steve is being right now. He's probably acting like this is the end of the world and he just found out that Bucky and Peggy had cut off their limbs for him. Steve is dramatic like that, especially when it comes to people doing things for him. Maybe if he wasn't, they could have avoided the secrecy in the first place.

Oh well. there's nothing to be done about that now, so Peggy just prepares herself to talk him down from whatever fit he's worked himself into. Hopefully Bucky's had some success in the the time it's taken her to finish her brunch and go home. He's known Steve the longest, after all. It would make sense for him to know how to talk some sense into Steve during moments like this. 

But... she also knows her boys very well, which is why she isn't at all surprised when she gets home and finds Steve painting angrily in a corner, while Bucky hides away in the kitchen, stress baking Steve's favorite pastries. She should have known better than to ever think her boys would manage to act in anything resembling functionality without her around to give them a helping hand. 

Peggy toes her heels off and goes to stand in the middle of the living room, where she knows they can both see her, even if they're currently keeping their gazes down and pretending to ignore one another. She clears her throat to get them looking up properly, "Household meeting, right now. Both of you to the couch. Come along now." 

"Did you plan this meeting in your secret schedule, too?" Steve asks, pouting adorably as he puts down his brush and goes to join her on the couch. Not that Peggy will admit it's adorable. Steve would probably combust. 

Bucky comes to join and very obviously sits down on the other side of the couch, leaving more space between the two of them than they usually do. "You're being dramatic about the whole thing, Steve. Peggy and I just talk things over sometimes, it's not like we have this big, secret calendar where we plot to overthrow you or something." 

Peggy neglects to mention that they do actually have a Google Calendar where they jot down their events and obligations. She knows a little bit of white lies or withholding is important when it comes to Steve. She goes to sit down between the two of them, so she can take both her hands. Steve's annoyed at the two of them, but he always has a bit of a soft spot for her even during their arguments. Not like with Bucky, when it seems he turns into a thickheaded, unreasonable grump. 

She squeezes his hand and leans to kiss his cheek. "Darling. before we even get into any of the rest, I'd like to just ask you a question. And answer it probably, all right? No trying to lie and change the story just to help your side of the argument. You do love having us around to hold and have a bit of a cuddle whenever you can, don't you?" 

"Well... yes," Steve admits, grumbling a little as he does. 

"Hmm. And have you found yourself wishing one of us would give you more space lately? Have we been crowding you?" 

"No..." 

"Right. Have you actually thought sometimes that you'd quite like it if we were around more often?" 

"I mean... sometimes. I know you've both got work and lives and stuff, so-" 

"No, no, that's not the question here. We know you know that and we're both happy to try to find ways around it so we can be with you as often as possible. Would you ever actually ask us to be here more often if you thought we were away too much?" 

"No..." 

Peggy nods. She's not surprised at that answer at all, nor is Bucky, she knows. Steve probably knew where this was going from the very beginning, but it takes some coaxing to get him actually admit it out loud. She squeezes his hand, a bit of a reward for being truthful instead of trying to lie to save his skin. "Exactly. And James and I both have a plethora of experience with you and your silly, self sacrificial stubbornness. We knew you would never admit to wanting us around for things you think are frivolous - like when you get all teary over a soap opera or your Sunday lie ins - so we both got a little proactive in making sure we were here." 

Steve sighs. "This last Thursday... Angie didn't actually have to cancel because something came up, did she?" 

"No, darling. James had to go into work unexpectedly, so I moved it in order to be here with you," she admits, figuring if he's been good about being truthful to them, it's the least they can do in return. 

Steve frowns a bit, but he leans over to rest his head on her shoulder as he does. "You two can't just... go around putting your own lives on hold for me, y'know?" 

"Oh, please, Stevie," Bucky speaks up. He scoffs, sounding even more offended than the one time Zemo from a rival ballet company asked him how Jews celebrate Easter. "You say that as though you aren't our life? Peg and I both love you so much it hurts. You're lucky we're not out there, shouting it from the rooftops and beating down anyone who disagrees. We'd do anything for you. Moving around our schedules a bit so our cuddle slut of a boyfriend gets his fix isn't a big deal." 

Peggy laughs softly. "I don't know that I would have put it quite like that, but it's true. We both just want to see you happy. This is one small, easy thing we do for that, it just requires a bit of extra planning and sneaking around, since you're far too stubborn to ever admit to wanting things like that." 

"Well... I guess I can be a little stubborn sometimes," Steve admits. "Can you two at least tell me when you're messing your schedules up for me, though? I know I don't have a chance at stopping it with how stubborn the two of you are, but it would be nice to know." 

"Sure. We'll share the Google Calendar with you," Bucky promises, which sets Steve off into a round of outraged sputtering. Bucky shushes him quickly with a kiss. "With that out of the way, why don't we all go upstairs for some threeway spooning and then call it a day?" 

And really, for how much Steve had been complaining about this, he makes it up the stairs and into their bedroom remarkably quickly. Peggy should know better than to be surprised by now. 

**Author's Note:**

> Peggy has big top energy


End file.
